Through to the final but loads to work on.

0-22 to 0-10 16th June 2017 Vs. Rathpeacon

In Páirc Uí Rinn last night, Killavullen worked their way back to the final of the Junior B Hurling Championship final, a final we so painstakingly lost last year, by defeated Rathpeacon on a final score of 0-22 to 0-10.

Sean O Regan opened our scoring after coming in well from his wing in the 2nd minute of the game, before Liam Cronin landed a long range point in the 3rd minute. To complete our good start, Pa Egan scored a point that rifled just over the bar in the 4th minute. Rathpeacon scored in the 6th minute after a wayward clearance from us found a free man, but it was one of theirs. Liam stretched out our lead again with a point in the 9th minute but Rathpeacon answered that with vengeance with two points of their own. The score was 0-04 to 0-03 after 10 minutes. Liam scored again, but the game was equalised when Rathpeacon scored two frees by the 16th minute.

This was emerging as the pattern of the game at this stage, we were pressing, and looked dangerous, but our final pass was wayward and Rathpeacon seemed to have a free man in and around midfield and were able to draw a free or secure a score from there.
Barry Murphy thundered into the game then and scored a point in the 19th minute before he scored a free after good work by Ian O Gorman who capitalised on a short free that went askew from Rathpeacon. Barry scored another point in the 24th minute. Charlie Lillis then delighted the entire U16 team when he scored a lovely point in the 29th minute after one of his trademark quick turns. (Charlie trains the Under 16ís).
Rathpeacon got a point back but we concluded the 1st period with two long range pointed frees from Liam Cronin, after his midfield partner Seamus Fox and Patrick Angland forced a turnover, Liam converted that long range effort and repeated the dose a minute later for another indiscretion to leave the half time tally at 0-11 to 0-06.

On the resumption, Rathpeacon were to the fore for the opening 8 minutes and scored two points to eat into our lead. We weathered the storm though, thanks in no small way, to the introduction of Eoghan Buckley to midfield. Sean O Regan scored a point before Barry Murphy scored a free in the 42nd minute. Liam scored a 65 Metre free in the same minute and then Barry got another free after good work by Charlie Lillis. Billy Norris and Kevin Fox were good in this period, but Pa Sheehan was like a man possessed. He just would not be beaten. Rathpeacon tried to borne down on goal but our full back line and goalie were steadfast. Rathpeacon did get a point from a free in the 49th minute, the same minute that we lost a player to a red card after he was initially fouled, but sought retribution afterwards. Bad decision.

That seemed to be a catalyst for several Killavullen players to work extra hard for each other, and with Rathpeacon pressing for goals, and we holding tight at the back, it made for some space up front, that we capitalised on. Barry Murphy scored another point after a fine delivery from Patrick Angland, and Rathpeacon cancelled out that score with a point of their own. Five minutes to go, and Killavullen were leading 0-17 to 0-10. We finished with an explosion as scores though, started by Seamus Fox and then, a fine point by Sean O Regan to cap his excellent game. Barry Murphy scored a sublime point from right over on the far touch line; the introduced Barthly Hayes caught a long delivery from Liam Cronin, after excellent defensive play by Billy Norris and Kevin Fox, and offloaded quickly to the in-rushing Seamus Fox, who drilled the ball over the bar.
Alex Notter then demonstrated that Barry Murphy is not alone on that Monanimy road with scores from the touchline, as he fired one over, with the crowd in the stand behind him cheering. Nice ending to a game that we were the better team in, but did some not so clever things on the night, and not every player was at their best. Loads to work on for the final.